1. Technical Field
This invention relates to mailboxes and, more particularly, to a remotely operable mailbox system for providing users with an effective means of preventing access of private mail to unauthorized individuals and with a convenient means of retrieving deposited mail from a mailbox without exiting their vehicle.
2. Prior Art
The standard, rural mailbox has a rectangular bottom panel and a U-shaped roof portion extending the length of the bottom panel. It has a back panel at one end and a door at the other end in the shape of the U-shaped roof portion. When removing mail from the conventional mailbox, the recipient must grope into the box to access the mail. If the recipient drives up to the box to retrieve the mail, they must usually extend their body through the vehicle window to get to the mailbox. This is inconvenient and uncomfortable for the recipient, and can be dangerous in certain situations. For example, if the brake in the recipient's car or truck is not properly applied, or the transmission accidentally disengages from “park” while the mail is being retrieved, the recipient may be in a precarious position, hanging out the vehicle's window and with his or her hand engaged inside the mailbox. Injury to the mail recipient and damage to the vehicle, the mailbox or surrounding property, are likely results of such a situation.
Accordingly, a need remains for a remotely operable mailbox system in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a system that is convenient and easy to use, is durable yet lightweight in design, is versatile in its applications, and provides owners of outdoor mailboxes with an effective deterrent to mail and identity theft.